Incumbent district attorney Nico LaHood, left, and DA candidate Joe Gonzales participate in a debate, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at the Claude Black Community Center in San Antonio.

Incumbent district attorney Nico LaHood, left, and DA candidate Joe Gonzales participate in a debate, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at the Claude Black Community Center in San Antonio.

Photo: Darren Abate /For The Express-News

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Click through the slides to learn more about the Bexar County candidates for the 2018 Republican and Democratic primaries endorsed by the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board.

Click through the slides to learn more about the Bexar County candidates for the 2018 Republican and Democratic primaries endorsed by the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board.

Photo: Express-News File

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Greg Abbott: Texas Governor, Republican primary

"And even if we’ve disagreed with Abbott — on the need for a bathroom bill, most notably — he has pretty much pursued the conservative agenda on which voters elected him when he defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis in 2014."

"Of the two, White, a Houston businessman and son of former Gov. Mark White, demonstrates far more knowledge of the complexities of state governance and speaks with more specifics on the topic. ... White recognizes that the Legislature’s shifting of state troopers to the border has dubious merit and robs the state of funds that might be put to better use elsewhere — on schools, for instance."

"In Milder, Republicans will get a conservative interested in solving the state’s problems with real solutions. He would lead the Senate with much less partisan rancor and no emphasis on culture wars. He would avoid such items as the bathroom bill, one of Patrick’s signature legislative efforts. It was, Milder knows, a distracting waste of legislative effort."

On the Democratic side, Collier brings financial gravitas to the race — simply, more than opponent Michael Cooper, a retired auto sales manager from Beaumont. Collier was in the audit department of PricewaterhouseCoopers. ... And he points to gerrymandering as “the root cause of our political crisis in America.” He would push a constitutional amendment to take direct redistricting responsibilities from the Legislature."

"With the City of San Antonio and the private Alamo Endowment, he has helped shepherd a long overdue master plan that reimagines the Alamo with the proper fidelity to 1836, when the Alamo defenders fell to General Santa Ana’s army. And there were public hearings before and after the master plan, though Bush could have also taken these statewide. He will seek statewide input now. ... Some missteps, yes, but Bush has credibly had an effective first term and deserves a shot at a second."

"Suazo is an energy attorney in Austin, he worked in government, and he is from a cattle ranching family. As an energy attorney with clients who want to protect the environment and as a former Senate aide — for New Mexico Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici — who worked on veterans affairs, land use, education and the environment, Suazo’s experience simply overwhelms that of Tex Morgan, the other candidate."

"First, Craddick. We share the views of the Democrats in this race that the Railroad Commission is too cozy with the oil and gas industry. Craddick and her family have longstanding oil and gas interests, though she said none of these interests are oil and gas 'operators.' But they need not be for the public to have less confidence that she will help regulate this industry as it should be."

"But we give the nod to McAllen, a city historic preservation officer, over Spellmon — who has a corporate marketing background. McAllen seemed to have a firmer understanding of the issues and is right that people running for the commission should not be taking campaign contributions from the industry."

"Blocker is a solid conservative, which is reflected in his ideas to streamline the agency and make government smaller but also more efficient. He has said he would immediately lower the fees Miller has instituted, fees that generated a $6.5 million surplus for the Department of Agriculture."

"For the better part of the last two decades, Chevalier has been immersed in the digital and startup culture that has come to redefine so much about Austin. She has an impressive understanding about the job of comptroller, and a broad vision for how to do it."

"We have had our share of disagreements with Cruz, the government shutdown he led in 2013 among them. The government should never be shut down. Period. But Cruz, who is seeking his second term, sits on powerful committees that can serve Texas — and certainly could support many of the conservative causes important to Republican voters. He sits on the judiciary, science and armed services committees."

"O’Rourke is a supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, renewable energy and improving health care for all. He showed an impressive command of national and international issues during a recent meeting with this Editorial Board. He is against shutting down the government."

"In Sarver, we see a genuine conservative with limited government, pro-life sentiments who — unlike most of her GOP colleagues in this election — has been forthright in her distaste for President Trump. Voters will get someone who adheres to traditional Republican stances but is not willing to turn a blind eye to Trump’s divisive actions."

"In Kopser, who sold a startup to a major car manufacturer and works to help veterans, we see a candidate who shares many of the progressive views of his Democratic colleagues in this race, but who has business and military savvy that is likely to attract broader support."

"What makes Hurd unique, though, is his ability to keep his distance from extremes while maintaining his conservative credentials. He did not endorse President Donald Trump and broke with the administration, on the wall and health care, for example. But he also championed tax cuts. In other words, he is conservative and genuinely and frequently aligns with Republican interests, but he is also a model for bipartisan compromise and governance."

"On the Democratic side, we recommend Gina Ortiz Jones, a former intelligence officer with the U.S. Air Force. Ortiz Jones grew up on San Antonio’s West Side, graduating from John Jay High School. She attended Boston University on an ROTC scholarship. She has three master’s degrees, including one from the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies. Ortiz Jones has served in Iraq, and advised on operations in Africa and Latin America. She’s also overseen trade enforcement. She is deft on international issues and has demonstrated a deep understanding of this district."

"This recommendation for McClendon, who represents utilities and landowners, is as much about her being a quality candidate as it is about policy positions (incumbent Donna) Campbell has taken. Chief among the suspect positions was Campbell’s support for the so-called bathroom bill last year, a measure that failed ... This was a carnival show distraction that made Texas a laughingstock and drew attention away from real issues."

"Kling stands out on on his personal background. He is a former Army captain who has served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star. He pledges to up support for the state’s veterans, would try to stave off state intrusions into local control (a very serious issue) and would restore access to women’s health care, diminished by previous Legislatures. We recommend Kling."

"Our recommendation is based on Martinez Fischer’s strength as a candidate and officeholder. It’s not a criticism of Arévalo, who runs a nonprofit that provides affordable after-school musical education. She passed legislation in her freshman term that could potentially increase school funding through a facilities allotment."

"He co-sponsored legislation banning texting while driving and reforming the committee that sets policy regarding students with disabilities. He also authored noteworthy legislation — vetoed by the governor — that would give the state more authority to clean up tire dumps. A big one is in his district."

"The person among the candidates most likely to be Strausian, we believe, is Allison, known in Alamo Heights as a 12-year board member in that community’s independent school district, serving as president for three terms."

"Larson is particularly on point on taxation and public schools. While backing a cap on local jurisdictions’ ability to raise property taxes, he says this will not stop rising property taxes because, even at a 2.5 percent cap, taxes will rise. He correctly points to the Legislature’s failure to adequately fund public schools as the real driver of higher property taxes. He would like the state’s share of funding for public schools to increase from its current 37 percent or so to 50 percent."

"State Rep. Ina Minjarez had a remarkably successful first full term in the Texas House, earning Texas Monthly’s award as rookie of the year. It was entirely deserved. For that reason, the Editorial Board recommends Minjarez for the Democratic nomination in House District 124, which is on San Antonio’s West Side."

"Here’s what Bexar County residents deserve from their district attorney: A strong command of criminal and civil law. A respectful and calm demeanor. An ability to deftly manage an office of top prosecutors. A history of making good decisions. Too often during his tenure, District Attorney Nico LaHood has failed to meet these basic expectations."

"It was troubling that she was not particularly familiar with county issues. For example, she had no knowledge of the San Pedro Creek flood control project, a massive expenditure in the district. Regardless, she is the better choice for Republican voters in this primary race."

"If elected, Elizondo has said this will be his last term. He has said he would like to see several large projects through fruition such as the transformation of the San Pedro Creek into a walkable linear park and the renovation of the long moribund Alameda Theater downtown. His experience could also prove invaluable as the region pursues a potentially transformative transit plan."

"She has fought hard for the right causes. She supported the CSCOPE curriculum tool and fought against having it taken away from school districts that depended on it. She was also a vocal opponent of a deeply flawed Mexican-American studies high school textbook under consideration for adoption by the board, and she co-sponsored a public forum on the issue."

"Aldame Clark, trained as a paralegal, has been with the Bexar County sheriff’s office for 21years and is employed as a warrants processor. She has been active in her community and served as chairman of the Southside ISD bond committee."

"Lawrence “Larry” Romo served 28 years in the Air Force in active duty and the reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. His most recent job was as director of the United States Selective Service in the Obama administration. He served in that post for seven years and returned to San Antonio in 2016."

"A former prosecutor now in private practice, Ischy Prins has a wide range of legal experience beyond prosecuting and defending criminal defendants that would be of benefit to this court. She has more than 25 years of legal experience and has been an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, teaching criminal law and procedure, and other classes."

"He is the only judicial candidate who has been certified and qualified to represent defendants facing the death penalty in capital murder cases in Texas. There are 16 lawyers in Bexar County qualified to handle such cases. While his election would be a loss to the criminal defense community, his expertise in this area of the law would be an asset on the bench."

"McCray has 28 years of legal experience that includes appellate work. McCray is a former assistant district attorney. He has been in private practice since 1996 and served as a special prosecutor in Bexar County. He is board certified in criminal law."

"Rojas has 16 years legal experience, but the law is her second career. Prior to attending law school, she was a radiologic technologist, working in hospitals performing general diagnostic work. Civil cases rarely go before a jury, but that trial experience is important, and Rojas has that on her résumé."

"He has 23 years experience in the legal field, holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Houston and has certification in mediation. He was employed by Union Carbide Industrial Gases for 16 years before switching career paths. His practice is mostly in family law, and he is the immediate past president of the San Antonio Family Lawyers Association. Lawson’s diversified work experience and business degree would be beneficial to this court."

"Her 17 years of legal experience includes work as a prosecutor in Cameron and Bexar counties. Peña has been in private practice since 2009, giving her strong knowledge of how the law works from the prosecution and defense sides. She offers some innovative ideas on alternatives to incarceration for young criminal defendants."

"Stowe, a former school teacher, has been an assistant district attorney for 10 years. A teen mom who got a GED, earned teacher certification, taught in San Antonio public schools and then went to law school to take on a second career, Petry Stowe brings a wide range of life experience to this bench."

"Foster has practiced law for 17 years and has both civil and criminal court experience. She spent 11 years in the district attorney’s office, the last six as a felony prosecutor. She has spent the last two years in a civil law practice with her husband. Foster wants to see this court, which is of general jurisdiction but handles mostly civil cases, utilized more."

"Molina, a former prosecutor who is now in private practice, has been a lawyer for 17 years. She has a varied breadth of legal experience, including extensive trial work and the handling of civil and probate cases."

"After assuming the bench, Skinner noticed animal abuse cases languishing on the county court dockets and took it upon herself to collect all such cases in her court and move them along. These are often time-consuming cases that are now handled more efficiently. The only complaints about this court are regarding Skinner’s treatment of lawyers. Judicial temperament is important but does not overshadow the good work being done. Nonetheless, we would urge more professionalism in this court."

"In the Democratic Primary we recommend Melissa Vara, 32 — with reservations, however. Both Democratic attorneys are well-meaning but under-qualified. We recommend Vara only because she is slightly better qualified than her challenger, who has a dearth of criminal law experience. Vara been been a lawyer for five years."

"Her legal experience includes appellate work and assisting the drafting of legislation that resulted in changes to the penal code. She is committed to making this court more productive by expanding the work it does. The incumbent Bob Behrens is seeking the Republican nomination for this seat. His frequent absences from court during the day are cause for concern."

"Gordon Torres has extensive experience as a court-appointed ad litem attorney in probate court matters. One of the reasons she is seeking this bench, she said, is the lack of professionalism exhibited by the court in applying the law and in its treatment of lawyers. Torres is interested in increasing the court’s efficiency in the handling of the mental health docket."

"Before taking a job in the private sector, she was employed as a staff attorney in Probate Court No. 2 from 1999 to 2005. She worked for now-retired Probate Judge Polly Jackson Spencer. Having previously worked in this court, Hardaway has a good working knowledge of its operations and the job requirements. Her 13 years at her current job have provided managerial skills that will be useful in this high volume court."

LaHood said he was instrumental in creating a public defender’s office. He wasn’t.

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Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood recently said he was “instrumental” in creating a public defender’s office, but the record suggests he wasn’t even in the bandstand, let alone taking music lessons when the department was formed.

The claim, made during a recent DA candidate forum with Texas Public Radio, has caught the attention of those who really were instrumental in the rather small department’s creation and development.

LaHood is in the middle of a bruising primary fight with challenger (and former supporter) Joe Gonzales, but this isn’t political. It’s just a matter of fact.

During the forum led by TPR’s David Martin Davies, LaHood said, “I was instrumental working with the commissioners to bring in a public defender’s office.”

This just isn’t possible.

“The process started before he was there,” Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff said.

The Bexar County Public Defender’s Office was originally created in 2005 by attorney Angela Moore, in part, thanks to a grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. Moore left in 2011 out of frustration and the department languished, but it was essentially reconstituted in May 2014, according to Express-News archives.

LaHood didn’t take office until January 2015.

“He by no means was the creator of it, or the person whose idea it was to have that as a county function,” Wolff said. “But he certainly was supportive of it.”

Moore was less diplomatic: “The easy clear answer is, NO, LAHOOD HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH STARTING THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE,” she wrote in an email (her caps).

I made several efforts to connect with LaHood through the district attorney’s office and his campaign, but he has yet to respond.

Everyone misspeaks, and for that reason, I’m generally inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Perhaps LaHood meant to say he was supportive of the office, or perhaps he was instrumental in some type of development of the office. Or perhaps he just was taking credit for the work of others. Only he knows.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who has endorsed LaHood, said the DA “was instrumental in the fact that we had no space for it.”

That is, LaHood provided office space for Bexar’s public defenders on the third floor of the Paul Elizondo Tower. But as it turns out, this isn’t particularly accurate, either.

“Well, he was supportive in giving us half the space that Susan Reed offered,” Richard Dulany, Jr., who became interim chief public defender in 2014, wrote in an email.

Reed, of course, is LaHood’s longtime predecessor as district attorney.

Dulany was instrumental in reconstituting the county’s public defender’s office.

“When I heard him on the radio say he was ‘instrumental,’ what I said exactly started with the letter F,” Dulany said in an interview.

Dulany was so taken aback by the comment, he submitted an op-ed to this editorial board. But we wanted to independently verify the information and give LaHood an opportunity to respond and provide additional context.

Dulany is a defense attorney who has worked as public defender and prosecutor in El Paso, and served as a public defender in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

He said he is not affiliated with any particular campaign, and has made no candidate contributions.

He said he joined the public defender’s office in 2013, and quickly realized it wasn’t structured properly. It operated under the Judicial Services Department, overseen by someone who was not an attorney. The county was breaking the law by not having a chief who is a member of the state bar.

After making a bit of noise, Dulany became interim chief in 2014 — again, before LaHood was elected.

The team was (and still is) small and worked in “the least desirable windowless part of the Judicial Services Department,” he said.

During that time he spoke with Reed, whom he said offered a suite of offices (with windows) on the third floor of the Elizondo Tower.

But the county moves slow, and then Reed lost to LaHood. When LaHood took office, he took back office space.

“He took away half of our office space,” Dulany said, adding that a dividing wall was built in the middle of a hallway. “He gave us the half that doesn’t have the windows.”

Maybe that’s what LaHood meant when he said he was instrumental in creating the public defender’s office.